Sport
by DixieMame
Summary: 51 of the 100 Challenge. It's Duke vs Mallory, in a story of silly fluff.


Hey guys, sorry about my all but abandonment of fanfiction. College has made me its slave. But over this semester, I kinda got into Mighty Ducks, so here's a stab at it. Enjoy!

Mighty Ducks belongs to Disney.

Also, I am completely sorry for the single-spacing. I have no idea how to make this thing go double-space. If someone can tell me, I'd be happy to delete this and turn this into a much more readable version.

* * *

Meditation is not an easy task. It requires complete calm and relaxation, and the ability to ignore all surroundings. It is only then that the mind can clear, and inner peace can be achieved. So it's understandable that meditation can be rather difficult to achieve when someone is going through your room and all but thrashing into your things.

Check "Grin" Hardwing opened one eye, glancing at his intruder. He could see his teammate, Mallory McMallard, now going through his closet, leaning in to check all of the corners. Somewhat satisfied, he closed his eye, and spoke. "What you seek does not lie within here."

He could hear her irritated grumble, and imagined she looked rather agitated. "Look, I'm sorry, but you guys agreed that Duke could have hidden the puck anywhere!" A slamming of the closet door followed. "I have to find that stupid thing by tonight, or…"

Her trailing off made him open both of his eyes this time, piqued by curiosity. "Or what?" He asked, gently, but the harsh glare he received told him that no answer would be given. He frowned, almost in a child-like pout. "Surely what he wants from you isn't that bad."

"Yes it is." She snapped, now going over to his bed, and beginning to kneel down. "I'm not going to tell you, but if I don't find that puck…" She shuddered, and stuck her head under the bed. "I'd rather lick Draganus' boots."

"It's not under there." Grin closed his eyes once again, trying to settle back into his position on the floor. "Pride goeth before the fall. You agreed to this bet, after that argument."

No one really knew how or why that argument had started, but then, Mallory always seemed to find a way to start something with Duke L'Orange. It was almost background music, the way the two would go at it. But after one game, when Mallory had accused Duke of stealing her puck during the last few minutes, L'Orange decided had had quite enough. In the locker room, in front of their teammates, he decided that if she really thought he was a thief, he would prove it.

_ "Wildwing, pass me a puck, would ya?" Duke asked, easily catching it once the toss had been thrown. He then waved it in front of Mallory's face, with an odd expression… It was hard to tell if he was amused or irritated. Possibly both. "You think you're so much better than me because of my past? I bet you I could hide this puck somewhere in The Pond and you would never find it."_

_"Real mature, Duke." She said with a snort, her expression easy to read – just plain annoyed. "Not that I would stoop so low as to play kiddy games with you… but I could totally find it."_

_"You so sure, why don't you try?"_

_"I don't need to, but I could!"_

_"Are you a duck or a chicken?"_

**_"Guys!" _**_Wildwing Flashblade shouted, almost loud enough to make the entire room jump. "This is not how a team is supposed to act. No one is going to support some stupid bet."_

_There was a moment of silence, before Nosedive Flashblade's hand shot up into the air. "Uh, actually? I wanna see this. Our cable's out, so this would be-"_

_"Nosedive!" The elder brother interrupted, somewhat glaring at him. "Don't encourage them!"_

_Nosedive slowly put his hand down, but Tanya Vanderflock's suddenly replaced it. "You know, Wildwing, I think this could actually get some peace and quiet around here…"_

_"Not you too, Tanya!" Desperate, the captain looked to Grin… who, unfortunately, was pretending he couldn't hear a thing. He rubbed his temples, but before he could try and reason any further, Duke started up once again._

_"Then it's settled. We're gunna play a little game of Find the Puck." He began tossing the puck up and down in his hand, making the game up as he went along. "How's about… I give you one week to find it. No one's allowed to help you, you gotta do it all on your own." At that, he gave an indignant point to the others, which is when Mallory grabbed the puck out of his hand._

_"And if I find it, you have to go to every single one of Phil's photo ops." There was a multitude of groans from that, but none from Duke._

_"Man, that is cruel." Nosedive whispered, but naturally did nothing to stop it. This was even better than cable!_

_"Fair enough." Duke replied, unfazed. "But if I win…" He paused, giving himself a moment to think. But then the moment was over, something flickered in his eyes that made Mallory's heart stop for a second. A sort of look she had rarely seen from him, and instantly decided it was a bad thing. _

_A really bad thing, judging from that smirk that was now on his face._

_"If I win…" He said again, slower, and then leaned in towards Mallory. He whispered, more quietly than Nosedive had, with a hand covering the edge of his beak. When he finished, Mallory's eyes had widened, her cheeks were a bright tomato red, and she began to stumble backwards in sheer horror._

_"Are you out of your mind?!" She shrieked, pointing at him accusingly. The others looked back and forth in surprise as she continued her frightful cry. "Why would you even… You're worse than I thought! I'm not going to do that!"_

_A small chuckle came from Duke, ever so lightly grabbing the puck back. "So you're so sure you're gunna lose?"_

_"I didn't say…" She glanced at the others, and then back to Duke, eyes going from one to another a few times before she made up her mind. "Fine. It's a bet. Remember to smile for the camera, Duke." She stuck out her hand, for Duke to shake firmly. _

_After that, Duke flipped the puck in his hand once more, and headed for the door. "Guess I gotta go hide this thing. Have fun, Mallory." He called out, the door closing behind him._

_Any chance for an awkward silence to follow was killed when Nosedive suddenly raised is hand again. "Let's starting taking bets! I put twenty on Duke!"_

"And then you nearly beaned Nosedive with your hockey stick." Grin finished the walk down memory lane, wagging his finger in a knowing way. "That was a week ago. There are times when defeat does not come with shame."

"And this isn't one of them!" Mallory shouted, accidentally banging her head when she moved under the bed. After a hissed 'ow', she pulled herself out, and began to stand up. "Maybe I took it too far with that last argument, but he's trying to humiliate me!" Knowing she wouldn't win in this area, she headed out of Grin's room. "There's only one place I haven't looked… but I'm going to find it if it's the last thing I do."

"I wish you good luck." Grin murmured, lowering his shoulders and trying to meditate once more. Once she was out of hearing range, he murmured as an afterthought "Since I placed thirty bucks on you..."

~*~

Hours later, in the dead of night, Mallory was starting to think humans were pretty dumb. They were trying to solve world hunger, create advanced weaponry, and even handed out 'prizes' to scientific achievements… Yet they couldn't even think of a better place to stick their gum than under their seats. She stuck her tongue out in disgust as she lifted yet under seat in the empty Anaheim Arena, but to no avail. That darn puck wasn't under this one…

… Only three hundred more seats to check.

She irritability scooted ahead to check the next one, beak nearly grinding in her aggravation. She could already hear Nosedive's endless taunts if she lost, already hear Wildwing scolding her for agreeing to do this in the first place, already hear Tanya's 'statistical analysis' of how the odd were against her, already hear Grin's pitiful sigh at what happened, and, worse of all, Duke. Duke would never, ever, let this go. That condescending, maddening, rogue son of a –

Not under that seat either!

She rested her head on the seat temporarily, letting out a bit of breath. It was time to be honest with herself… losing wasn't the worst thing in the world. Not even this team was perfect, and they had their share of defeats, on and off the ice. She knew she was overreacting at the imagination of the reactions of her teammates, but her pride was more often in charge of her than her common sense. She sat on her knees, running a hand through her hair, trying to rationalize herself as she went to the next seat.

Nope, still nothing.

She could leave with a few teasings, this entire event could be put behind her. But why, oh why, did Duke want 'that' as his bet?! This provoked her so badly, she could swear she heard ringing in her head! She held her head, trying to calm down again…

… Until she realized the ringing wasn't in her head. Confused, she let herself go, and began to stand up, looking around for the source of the noise. It actually began to sound familiar, the longer it went on. Then her eyes fell on the ice rink, where Duke stood right in the center, holding an alarm clock in one hand.

The puck was in the other.

"No way!" Mallory yelled, beginning to run down the stairs towards the ice. "I've got to have more time left! At least an hour?" But as she heard the desperation in her own voice, she could tell the ring was right. Time was up.

Duke pressed a button on top of the clock, ceasing the ringing. "I gotta say, Mallory, ya worried me a few times."He admitted, the gigantic smirk on his face not faltering for even a second. "Phil's gunna be heartbroken, though."

"Where did you put it?!" Mallory demanded, trying to grab the puck out of his hand. "I searched every single inch of The Pond! You must have moved it!"

"Not an inch after I placed it." He allowed her to take the puck, placing the empty hand on his heart. "Thieves' honor." He chirped, as an extra dig.

"Where, did, you, put, it!" Mallory leaned in, jabbing a finger at his face with each word. "I have to know!" Her voice echoed in the bare stadium, almost taunting herself.

"I'll be more than happy to tell ya." He took her hand and began to lower it. "Right after you give me your part of the bet."

Just like one week ago, her eyes widened, her face flushed, and she almost fell over in terror. "No! Duke, I'll do anything else! Just… Just not…"

Duke began winding up the clock in his hands. "It's what ya agreed to, Mal. Course, I could always call the guys in here and have them see this for themselves…"

Mallory dragged her hands down her face, nearly shaking at the sheer idea of the others seeing her doing… 'that'. "Oh man… There's nothing else you want? I could clean your room for a week, I'll do Phil's photo ops, I'll never call you a thief again…"

"Yer just stallin', Mal." Duke looked at her, finished with his winding.

Mallory began looking around, just in case, and then held up a finger. "Just… one?"

"Just one." Duke nodded in agreement, taking a step toward her.

"And… no one will know?"

Another step toward her. "I won't tell a soul."

With an exasperated sigh, Mallory began to raise her hands… but then quickly lowered them. "Close your eyes, at least!"

"Oh no ya don't." Duke clicked his tongue with a small shake of his head. "I need to make sure ya don't pull any fast ones on me." When he saw her frown, her put on a fake look of innocence. "Just treatin' ya with the same trust ya put in me."

She rolled her eyes, but began to raise her hands again. To keep herself steady for 'this', she placed her hands on his chest, still holding onto the puck that ensured this mess. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, trying to tell herself this would all be over shortly. Her heart began to race, almost louder than the previous ringing. She could do this… Just lean in, and then erase this from her mind… She could do that…

"Stalling again, Mal."

"Oh, shut up."

"Don't tell me this is the first time-"

She suddenly grabbed his shoulders, and yanked him in close enough so that she could press her bill to his in one incredibly uncomfortable kiss.

Five… four… three… two… one.

She pushed him away, and the two of them stumbled on the ice for several seconds before finding their balance and looking at each other.

Mallory's entire face was now scarlet, and she began to rub the tip of her beak with her arm, with a little scowl. Duke, on the other hand, had his smirk melt into a dream-like smile, hints of crimson on his own cheeks. The odd stare of anger versus bliss continued for what felt like forever, until Mallory managed to find words.

"So where did you hide it?" She asked, holding up the puck.

Duke looked her over, and then began to walk in the direction of their locker room. "In a box of expired donuts in Phil's office." He finally said, once his feet were off of the ice. Though his back was to Mallory, he could see in his mind the shocked look she was making. Tempted to see it for himself, he turned around…

… And just barely dodged the puck hitting his face.

Jumping out of the way, he wildly looked at Mallory, his smooth nature gone. "What's the big idea?!"

To his puzzlement, Mallory didn't seem to be angry anymore. In fact, this time, she was the one wearing the smirk. Now she held up two fingers. "Seven more days. Double or nothing."

He blinked numerous times in disbelief, watching her head back to the stairs from which she came. He began to regain his senses, and picked up the fallen puck. "Ya got it, Mal. See you here next week."

"You wish!" She cheered, not even bothering to give him a glance. This time, she knew she would win.

Maybe she could take up meditation in the meantime.

The End.


End file.
